Mousetrap



W. F. KOPKE.

. MOUSETRAP- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 1920.

Patented Jan; 31, 1922.

To aZZ whom it ay concern Be it known thatfI, WILLIAM Korma,- a.

citizen of the United States,, residing. at

Dundee, in the county of Monroe and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin -Mousetraps; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of] the invention, such' as willenable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, "and. to the lettersand figures ofreference marked thereon, I

- constructed in accord'ance- -withmyinv'enwhich form a part of this specificationg The object of this invention is to'provide' a mousetrap having an enlarged plate-like trigger covering the entire front of the base of the trap, so that a rodent cannot walk over the trap withoutspringing said trigger, th'us'immediately trapping the rodent;v

and 'where, by placingzthe trap in the trails or runways oflmiceor rodents, and blocking side passes they will walkover the trap and thus upon the trigger, springing the same.

By the use of the trap constructed in accordance with my invention, namely, with a large plate-like trigger, the employment of bait isunnecessary, except when the trap is placed in a situation where a rodent would not otherwise-pass over 1t. With ordinary,

traps, provided with small bait triggers,

rodents very often instinctively avoid the trigger, thus making the catching of the rodent by traps of ordinary construction a matter of uncertainty.

A further object is to provide a trap having a bait pin disposed independently of said plate-like trigger, that is, a stationary bait pin, and a relatively movable trigger plate, such bait pin being disposed with reference to said trigger, so that it is impossible for a mouse orother rodent toappreach the bait pin without stepping upon the trigger. l/Vith a trap of ordinary construrtion the rodent must pull upon, vor

otherwise jarthe trigger carrying the bait pin sufiieiently'to spring the trap, the mice often removing-the bait gently, and'thus making the catching of such mice a matter of great uncertainty.

Another object is to provide such trigger with marginal upturned flanges, constituting jaws to break the neck of the rodent when the trap is sprung. 7

Another object is to provide a mouse trap V MOUSETRAZE.

tire front surface of the base 1.

" appear.

WILLIAM F.*Ko1=KE", oF nn'rinnn;Miciridimjf Another {obj ect ifs-to providemouse trap or bail tates capture of thefrodent.

1 The invention isclearly described in the accompanylng,drawlngs n which like ref a "perspective a riewfofv a l trap,

I V PatentedJan. 31, 1}22,. Application filed February 4', 1920.' S erialilToi 356,265., r I

with a ie ieiaer' fo ming p'araaimae a u 'prer n he b ltib ngeas ly s eed v 'havlng a remov able spring-,controlleds .jaw .1 I

,- carrylng a e ross plece whlch ffae1l tion, and showing thef'sprung," position of the parts thereoflv r, 1

in itssprung PQSltlOIlL V v j Figure sis a bottonipl'anview, of the mgyable plate,'fand.

Fig re 2 v a. tpp plan View "IFigure 4., is a fragmentary sectieiial view 7 maybe a wooden block, andrwhieh carries a bait-pin 2, which is formed. in a peculiar against removal by a rodent. 'In' this in- .the details I I vso manner to retain the bait securely thereon stance, said'pin is provided with a spear-like V terminal 3, theidownward and outward pros jecting points 4:, 4: thereof opposing movement of thebait in a direction to remove the same.

Upon the base moved from the edges thereof; As shown, the plate 5 is substantially the same width as the base member 1,.and isof generally rectangular form so? as to provide arelatively.

large surface, coveringsubstantially the en It will thus -r r I i member 1, is positioned a V removable plate-like trigger 5, prov1ded w th beseen that itjis' difficult for-la rodent" to '7 approach the bait on'athe bait-pin 2, without steppingupon said plate, which constitutes a trigger, aswill more fully hereinafter aid plate or trigger I5- provided'iwith Y marginal ups'tanding flangesfi, constituting relatively sharp projections, cooperating with the movable jaw ofthe trap to break the neck of the rodent vwhen caught. 1

The plate or" trigger 5 is provided with apertures" 6" through which pass vertical,

pins 7 7 in the base member 1, and which serve to hold" the trigger against sidewise displacement. 'lhe trigger 5 is provided at its rear withan upwardly inclined flange 8, having at its top a rearwardly bent lip 9 for engagement with-the trigger -pini..l0' pivotally secured to thebase-member 1, as by means of the eye or staple 11-. p

A movable jaw 12 is provided and, except as otherwise stated, is ot conventional form,

and'is controlled, as usual, by a coile'd'spring' 13. 'The movablexjaw is provided with a cross piece 14, which" is preferably of wire,

having-its terminals 15bent around the side members 16, 1 6 o f' 'theimovable" jaw 12.

Staples 12'secure the movable jaw 121110 the basel. I H A staple 17 is carried by thefltrap and affords a' convenient means for securing the trap to'a stationary object, against removal or disturbance. V In usep'the movableij aw212is swung. over the flange 8 and under," the triggerpin 10 which is engaged with'the'lip'9'of said flange, thus holding the trigger or" plate 5 in-i an inclined position with reference to the base member 1 as shown in Figure 4);}. 'VVhenthe movable jaw 12'is thus swung, andithetrig ger pinlO engaged with the lip'9,'the spring I V signature. 13 is tensioned, as usual; The trap is sprung by a mouse stepping upon the trigger 5,

thereby disengaging the lip 9 from the trigger pin 10, and permitting the coiled spring 13' to swing the jaw 12 toward the plate or trigger 5, thereby clamping the rodent be tween said movable jaw 12 and the flanges 6, thus breaking the neck of the rodent.

What I claim to bejnew isz 7 o A mouse trap comprising a base having staples upstanding therefrom, a pintle extending through the Years, a bowed jaw carried by the pintle', a spring embracing, the V the trigger plate, one of said flanges up- ','standing between the extreme of the bow of thejaw and the central bar, the other of said flanges carrying a lip, and" atrigger pin pivoted to the base and roportioned to engage underthe liplof the ange. p v In testimony whereofI hereunto afiix my WILLIAM F. K PK tion, flanges formed uponropposite sides of 

